The Star claims “thousands” offended by gay kiss
If your suspicions are raised by the fact that The Star is the only newspaper to report that
Thousands were outraged at the snog between Christian Clarke (John Partridge, 36) and Lee Thompson (Carl Ferguson, 27) before the 9pm watershed on Tuesday.
then give yourself a pat on the back, because closer investigation reveals it to be almost certainly untrue.
The only evidence they cite is a couple of posts from the BBC message boards which turn out to be hit-and-run trollings, quite possibly from the same person. Message board regulars were quick to express their scorn at the homophobic “WUM” (Wind Up Merchant in BBC message board parlance), who quickly disappeared back under the skirting board.
Of course, Star reporter Nigel Pauley gave Mediawatch-UK a ring for a soundbite to back up his dubious claim, and a “spokesman” obliged predictably:
Viewers who find such storylines offensive should not hesitate to make their voices heard to the BBC.
The BBC has received complaints about several storylines running at the moment, including one about child abuse
he said.
Quite right too.
he added, comically.
It won’t have escaped the attention of anyone who’s been to the Star story and read to the end that, on the red link button, it says, “More ‘news’ here”. Note the quotes around the word “news”. I’m sure the Star‘s web people didn’t mean them to act as scare quotes, but that’s the effect. And quite right, too.
I’ve got a feeling the reporter, Nigel Pauley, used to work on the Coventry Evening Telegraph at the time I worked on its local radio station. If it’s the guy I’m thinking of, then he came over as the sort who would eventually write for a rag like the Star.
It’s notable that this Pauley, anyway (Coventry Pauley or not) cites these “thousands” of complaints, but can’t back it up, because the BBC won’t tell him how many. This is what today passes for journalism.
‘child abuse’?
Someone finally complained about one of those school choirs whose members were told to turn up and get recorded for ‘Songs of Praise’, then.
The sad thing is that these days it doesn’t even take “thousands” of complaints to force a public apology or the withdrawal of “offending” material from public view. Such repressive measures can be achieved with the number of whining voices barely breaking into double figures.
I consider one form of abuse to be when the fucking Xians turn up at my kids school and start proselytising.
ARGGGAHHHH. Wankers have been at it again. And do I get a chance to turn up and tell them to fuck off? Noooo….
(Sorry, will go calm down now.)
“It’s notable that this Pauley, anyway (Coventry Pauley or not) cites these “thousands†of complaints, but can’t back it up, because the BBC won’t tell him how many. This is what today passes for journalism.”
At least the Star is a red top…
Consider the reporting in The Daily Mail is as bad and probably worse, then add its air of respectability and you have a lethal cocktail.
Together at last: Dirty Desmond and Media Watch!
The Star says ‘thousands’ of complaints? Everywhere else says it was about 145-50.
Anybody else think that the Mediawatch comment is notably restrained? I expect Stephen Green will make up for them.